Written Answers Tuesday 30 June 2009

Scottish Executive

Environment

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle noise pollution.

Richard Lochhead: We are currently implementing the environmental noise action plans produced under the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006. These regulations implement EU Directive 2002/49EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. We in Scotland were one of the first administrations in Europe to submit action plans produced under the terms of this directive. Further details can be found at http://www.scottishnoisemapping.org/ .

  A variety of measures is available to local authorities to monitor and control noise, including measures introduced in 2005 to tackle anti-social noise. These go beyond any scheme in EC in providing a fixed penalty notice deterrent for domestic noise offences and set objectively measured noise limits for any part of the day or night.

Environment

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle noise pollution caused by aircraft, particularly in residential areas.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s view is that the noise impact of airport operations in Scotland is best dealt with locally and it is for the airport to provide adequate facilities for consultation and discussion with users of the airport, local authorities and local representative organisations. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports are designated under section 35 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and consultative committees, independent of the airports’ operator, are established at both for this purpose.

  BAA as operator, is the competent authority for producing a noise action plan under the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen airports have published noise action plans in December 2008 which are available on their websites. Further details on noise from the major Scottish airports can be found at http://www.scottishnoisemapping.org/.

Swimming Pools

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many swimming pools there are per head of population.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Sportscotland maintains a range of information relating to sports facilities including swimming pools and I would encourage the member to contact sportscotland direct to establish whether the specific information is readily available.

Swimming Pools

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, separate from local authorities, to build world-class swimming pools in the next two years.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has made funding available through sportscotland for the development of sporting facilities including swimming pools.

Swimming Pools

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-7416 by Shona Robison on 18 June 2009, on what date Aberdeen City Council submitted its Stage 1 application.

Shona Robison: Aberdeen City Council submitted its Stage 1 application to sportscotland for funding to support the development of a 50-metre pool in Aberdeen on Monday 15 June. Any issues arising from the Stage 1 application are a matter for the applicant, Aberdeen City Council, and the funding body, sportscotland.